Stress-Free Kitchen Remodels – What’s the Secret?

“Kevin and I fight about everything,” Stacy laughed. “When normal couples would just have a conversation about, we bicker over. Which fine, we are who we are – but it’s really making me dread the kitchen remodel.”

On average, families in the Newton area are renovating their kitchens roughly every 7-10 years. These renovations can range from very minimal – think new paint, hardware, and maybe some appliance upgrades – to much more involved total kitchen renovations, including kitchen additions.

Most couples go into a kitchen remodel aware that it can be a fraught, stressful experience. But few know that the major issues can be avoided with clear communication. For example, it’s a really good best practice to make sure you and your partner are on the same page about the scope of the remodel before you begin it, as well as knowing how much money is realistically available to devote to the project.

Don’t be afraid to recruit help early in the process to help keep your kitchen renovation a fun, enjoyable experience. Working with an experienced design/build contractor in the very earliest stages – the planning process that generally begins 6 months to a year prior to any actual renovation work – can help you clarify your plans, identify opportunities to save money, find the right subcontractors and trade professionals to work on your project quickly, and avoid making costly mistakes later.

Your Newton kitchen contractor can also help you develop a realistic timeline for your project. Many times, people become frustrated when they don’t realize how long it will take to bring a kitchen from concept to creation. Your design/build contractor can help you understand what’s involved throughout the process. This helps keep stress levels down and keeps couples from fighting with each other as much.

When developing your timeline, make sure to include time to take pictures of your kitchen renovation as it progresses. These before and after pictures are great to look at after the fact, but they’re also helpful when you need to see how far along you’ve come in a project. Seeing design milestones achieved is a very rewarding experience and can help keep stress levels down.